Superb Siddle rolls WA in thrilling win
PETER Siddle rolled back the years for Tasmania, bagging a five-wicket haul and hit the winning runs against Western Australia on day four of their Sheffield Shield clash as they beat WA by three wickets at the WACA in Perth.
Inclement weather reared its ugly head again and continued to cause delays throughout the game, but it didn’t stop Siddle from a stellar bowling display.
The 36-year-old claimed the wickets of D’Arcy Short, Jhye Richardson and Lance Morris on the last day of the match after he’d already snagged Cameron Bancroft and Cameron Green earlier on.
WA began the day with the intention of extending the run chase for Tasmania, but those hopes began to fade as skipper Shaun Marsh was dismissed by Tasmania substitute Riley Meredith on 58.
Meredith was a constant thorn in the side of WA throughout their innings, before a valiant partnership between Joel Paris and Jhye Richardson helped the side to increase the run target
However, their time at the crease came to an end after 72 runs between the pair, as Beau Webster snared Paris.
Richardson followed him to the change room not long after, as he exited for 50. Lance Morris and Matthew Kelly were unable to offer anything with the bat, and the former was caught by Caleb Jewell off a Siddle delivery.
It was the 26th five-wicket haul of Siddle’s lengthy career, as he finished with the fine figures of 5-40 off 22.1 overs.
WA set Tasmania with the task of scoring 217 to win, and the Apple Isle team got off to a hot start as opener Jewell and Tim Ward went hard and fast early.
Jewell hit a quick half century off 46 balls, but he and Ward were sent packing one soon after the other, having posted a 74-run partnership.
Charlie Wakim helped to steady the ship with a composed half-century, but immediately after raising his bat he chopped a Richardson delivery on to the stumps as Tasmania sat in a precarious position at 5-166.
However, the visitors held firm and some solid hitting from Jake Doran and Webster helped put Tasmania on the track for victory.
Ultimately it was Tasmanian spinner Jarrod Freeman who proved to be the unlikeliest of heroes for the side, as some rather unorthodox shots helped him to an unbeaten knock of 21 and helped the visitors to a hard-earned victory.